NORTH East MP David Miliband last night again ruled out a rapid return to the Shadow Cabinet under his brother Ed’s leadership.

The South Shields MP said his campaign to recruit 10,000 community leaders was his way of supporting his brother and helping return Labour to power.

Mr Miliband’s comments came before he spoke about his Movement for Change at a fringe event at the Labour conference in Liverpool.

“It’s the organisation of community leaders that I founded,” said the Labour MP who was defeated for the party leadership by his brother last year.

“It’s aiming to train 10,000 community leaders over the next four years because Labour is out of power nationally, but we can still try and make change locally through local councils that we control – notably in the North East – but also allying the Labour party with citizens who want to change things in their locality.” The former foreign secretary said the programme, which recently held a training day in the North East, would show Labour was on people’s side and enable communities to shape their own destiny.

Mr Miliband said talk of a rift between him and his brother was “hooey and nonsense”.

He said his project was designed to boost the party’s chances.

“It is my way of supporting Ed, supporting the party and helping us back into Government.

“He’s been very supportive, the party’s been supportive, which is good.”

Asked directly about rejoining the frontbench team, Mr Miliband said: “I say the same thing always to everyone, which is that I think I made the right decision last year.

“I promised I would give Ed the space to lead the party as he sees fit, I wasn’t going to be part of a soap opera. And so I am here to support the party and support the leadership.”